Page 30 - ISSUE88

ALEX MARTIN
250 MX / 10TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> After the departure of the tour from Budd’s Creek last week, many were left to assess and con gure a new plan in order to attack the Ironman national with full integrity. A vastly differ- ent track in another section of the United States, the two layouts did share a few similarities. Multiple elevation changes, coupled with larger than average jumps, would make for another layout testing the riders courage and faith within themselves. Alex Martin had this event circled on the calendar for months, as he yearned to leap in and out of the valleys that lay within Crawfordsville, Indiana. So you could imagine the excitement that overcame him once rolling to the start straight to initiate practice. Taking a lap or so to scan this gigantic testament of a track, he then ipped the switch to a purely engaging mindset. Ripping far and wide, search- ing for the most pristine line that had been set, he stretched for a surging laptime. Sweeping onto the start straight, a brief thumbs up from his mechanic reassured him that his effort was enough, and he would end the session with his head held high, albeit covered in mud. The rst moto would come shortly after, and he tried to get out of the gate as best he could. With the crowd veering to the right subtly, he emerged near the fourteenth spot. Making his moves in methodical fashion, the chassis would begin to dance, in the section prior to the rst outbound triple. Wheel tapping his way through those water- lled rollers, he wouldn’t shy away from a little shtailing, as Cameron McAdoo watched from behind. Fundamentally sound throughout the course of these laps, it was merely a game of inches, as he steadily crept from the number sixty-six who was at his six. He would ride fairly sound, until a mistake had him bucked off the bike, crashing to the ground in devastating fashion; but would remount quickly. The faint sound of the oppositions motor was a reminder to keep the throttle hand locked, in which he did, scrubbing the nish line with a subtle ick on the last lap; he would nish ninth. It was a battle of pure savagery after the gate drop for moto two, the eld soaring into this midwestern air to begin the race. He had to be careful with his body position, as these ruts could literally reach up and grab the foot right off the peg, with the track beginning to dry out a bit. Launching off the Fly Racing step-down single on the far side, he would look over to see Joey Savatgy mid moto. Although to many in the crowd, it would offer as a brief acknowledgment of noti cation, it was all he needed to volley forward for the races’ remainder. Banging through the gearbox as the laps would wind down, he would push the image of Savatgy to the wayside, looking to lock up the ninth position; garnering tenth overall.
30 GRITMOTO • AUGUST 26, 2018